The present invention relates generally to an exercise apparatus and, more particularly, to an exercise apparatus that enables the user to move his feet or legs in a reciprocating motion while remaining stationary.
Running, walking, skiing and other activities wherein the feet or legs are moved in a reciprocating motion are considered effective forms of exercise. These activities help to load the cardiovascular system as well as build muscle mass. Accordingly, exercise apparatus exist which attempt to simulate these activities. A typical prior art apparatus is designed to enable the user to exercise within an enclosed structure while obtaining most of the benefits of these simulate activities. The apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,377 (hereby incorporated by reference) allows for variable resistance to be employed when foot carriages are moved rearwardly, but allows for generally un-resisted movement of the foot carriage in the forwardly direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,121 (hereby incorporated by reference) discloses, on the other hand, an apparatus that may be used to simulate a skiing motion or a rowing motion. Adapted for a skiing exercise, the foot carriages disclosed can be moved along rails and against a variable resistance. The resistance is constant regardless of the direction of the movement of the foot carriages.
Operation of most, if not all, of the exercise apparatus in the prior art fails to accurately represent or simulate the actual physical activity. Many of these exercise apparatus require the user to exert some force other than force required in the normal exercise activity to operate the system. For example, the user may be required to exert additional force to accelerate a pedal or foot block back to a system speed. Application of such force during the simulated activity is unnatural and is not representative of the actual activity. Furthermore, the application of such force usually creates undesirable resistant forces which impact the user.
It is one of several objects of the present invention to provide a stationary type of exercise apparatus that is operable to simulate activity wherein the feet or legs are moved in a reciprocating motion, such as running, walking and skiing activities. Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for simulating such exercise activities in a manner that more closely represents the actual physical activity and/or causes relatively low impact to the user. A further object of the invention is to provide at least one embodiment, the operation of which involves utilization of inertia in the moving components of the apparatus to accelerate foot travelers or foot carriage assemblies. Preferably, the exercise apparatus is operable without requiring the user to exert additional force to operate the moving components of the apparatus.
In one aspect of the invention, an exercise apparatus is provided for enabling reciprocating motion of the user""s legs or feet while the user remains generally stationary. The inventive apparatus includes a stationary frame, a first longitudinal rail supported, at least partially, by the frame, and a second longitudinal rail also supported, at least partially, by the frame and in generally parallel relation with the first rail. The apparatus further includes a first foot carriage assembly (or foot traveler) that is movably engageable along the first rail, a second foot carriage (or foot traveler) that is movably engageable along the second rail, and an inertia drive assembly disposed proximate the first and second rails. The inertia drive assembly includes a first transmission device (preferably a continuous belt) that is engageable with the first carriage assembly such that movable operation of the first carriage assembly drives the inertia drive assembly, and a second transmission device (preferably a continuous belt) engageable with the second carriage such that movable operation of the second carriage also drives the inertia drive assembly. Moreover, the first and second carriage assemblies are interconnected such that the inertia drive assembly canaccelerate each carriage (e.g., as each of the first and second carriage assemblies initially advances rearwardly or forwardly along one of the rails) by way of one of the first and second transmission devices.
The inertia drive assembly and the first or second carriage assemblies may be interconnected such that as the first or second carriage initially advances from a point of change in direction (rearwardly or forwardly), the inertia drive assembly can accelerate the carriage assembly up to a predetermined velocity without the user having to exert additional force to accelerate the carriage assembly. In one embodiment, each of the first and second carriage assemblies is frictionally engageable with one of the first and second belts (i.e., first and second transmission devices) to drive the belt in a first direction when the first or second carriage is moved in the first direction. Further, the first or second carriage is disengageable from a substantially frictionally engaged relation (attached and/or movable therewith) with the belt to move in a second direction opposite the first direction. Further yet, the first and second carriage assemblies may be interconnected (i.e., by a common continuous belt) such that each carriage assembly may be accelerated in the second direction by the inertia drive assembly. More particularly, the first carriage assembly may be accelerated in the second direction through rotation of the second belt by the inertia drive assembly (and transmission of this rotation through the common continuous belt) and the second carriage assembly may be accelerated through rotation of the first belt by the inertia drive assembly (and transmission of this rotation through the common continuous belt).
In another aspect of the invention, an exercise apparatus is provided that has a stationary frame, first and second longitudinal rails each supported, at least partially, by the frame and in generally parallel relation. The apparatus also has a first foot carriage assembly movably engageable along the first rail, a second foot carriage movably engageable along the second rail, and an inertia drive assembly that includes a first energy device. The inertia drive assembly is disposed proximate the first and second rails and is engageable with the first and second carriages such that, as the first or second carriage initially advances rearwardly or forwardly along one of the rails, the first energy device is usable to accelerate the carriage assembly. The apparatus also has a second energy device (i.e., distinct from the first energy device) that is engageable with the inertia drive assembly and adapted to transmit energy thereto. Preferably, the first energy device is a flywheel rotatably mounted on an inertia drive shaft of the drive assembly and the second energy device is a motor that is engageable with the inertia drive assembly (e.g., operably connected or coupled with the inertia drive shaft).
In one embodiment, the motor is operable to continuously transmit power to the inertia drive assembly during operation of the exercise apparatus by the user. In this way, the motor is used to compensate for frictional losses, inertia directional losses, and other energy losses inherent in the operation of the apparatus. The motor may also be used (in conjunction with or in lieu of the first energy device) to accelerate each of the foot carriage assemblies to a predetermined speed upon a change in direction.
In yet another aspect of the invention, an exercise apparatus is provided that includes a stationary frame, first and second longitudinal rails supported, at least partially, by the frame and in generally parallel relation. The apparatus also includes a first foot carriage assembly movably engageable along the first rail, a second foot carriage assembly movably engageable along the second rail and a drive assembly (e.g., an inertia drive assembly) disposed proximate the first and second rails and drivable upon movable operation of the first or second carriage assembly. The drive assembly includes first and second continuous belts, each of which is engageable with a first or second carriage assembly. Further, each of the first and second belts is rotatably supported by a suspension system that includes a resilient support assembly responsive to deflection of the belt upon frictional engagement between the belt and a carriage assembly.
The resilient support assembly is preferably interconnected with the first or second belt so as to further tension the belt upon frictional engagement with the carriage assembly. The support assembly may include a spring device interconnected with the belt which acts to resist deflection of the belt. The support assembly may also include a movable pulley interconnected with the spring device and rotatably supporting the belt. The movable pulley is preferably supported so as to be shiftable upon deflection of the belt.
In further embodiments of the invention, the movable or shiftable pulley is supported on a pivotable arm and is arcuately or rotatably movable about its pivot point upon loading of the belt by one of the carriage assemblies. A spring or tensioning device is preferably attached to the pivot arm so as to be responsive to deflection of the first or second belt. In this way, the spring device provides resilient resistance (and bias) against loading of the belt by one of the carriage assemblies. One advantageous result of this is that impact experienced by the user (e.g., when the user steps down on the carriage assembly to change its direction or to transfer weight) is minimized.